In U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,026 to Padget et al., assigned to the assignee to which this invention is assigned, a paper feed mechanism is disclosed in which pick rollers are driven by a gear train mounted on a arm which is free to pivot around the center of the driven gear of the gear train. This construction automatically applies increasing force on the pick roller until the pick roller moves paper, at which point the downward pressure is automatically relieved.
In practice using the foregoing construction heavy paper lifts the gear train as the paper is fed, thereby causing the gear train to drop under the influence of gravity as such paper or other media leaves the drive roller. This causes bouncing of the drive roller and thus the gear train, which slows reliable operation. This invention is directed to the addition of a damping mechanism which largely restricts the lifting movement, and which slows the dropping on to the paper stack.